Category: Book Review

Review | THE NIGHT BEFORE by Wendy Walker

THE NIGHT BEFORE by Wendy Walker
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Published by St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: May 14, 2019
ISBN-10: 1250198674
ISBN-13: 978-1250198679
Pages: 320
Review Copy From: Publisher via NetGalley
Edition: eBook
My Rating: 5

Synopsis (via GR)

Riveting and compulsive, national bestselling author Wendy Walker’s The Night Before “takes you to deep, dark places few thrillers dare to go” as two sisters uncover long-buried secrets when an internet date spirals out of control.

Laura Lochner has never been lucky in love. She falls too hard and too fast, always choosing the wrong men. Devastated by the end of her last relationship, she fled her Wall Street job and New York City apartment for her sister’s home in the Connecticut suburb where they both grew up. Though still haunted by the tragedy that’s defined her entire life, Laura is determined to take one more chance on love with a man she’s met on an Internet dating site.

Rosie Ferro has spent most of her life worrying about her troubled sister. Fearless but fragile, Laura has always walked an emotional tightrope, and Rosie has always been there to catch her. Laura’s return, under mysterious circumstances, has cast a shadow over Rosie’s peaceful life with her husband and young son – a shadow that grows darker as Laura leaves the house for her blind date.

When Laura does not return home the following morning, Rosie fears the worst. She’s not responding to calls or texts, and she’s left no information about the man she planned to meet. As Rosie begins a desperate search to find her sister, she is not just worried about what this man might have done to Laura. She’s worried about what Laura may have done to him…

My Thoughts

THE NIGHT BEFORE will have you gasping at every twist and turn.

Laura Lochner, after a bad break up, has returned to her home town, which she ran away from 10 years ago after a tragic murder of her High School “boyfriend” where she was found standing over his body and holding a bat.

As a child, she always felt unloved by her father and overheard her mother tell a friend that she had fists as hands and was hard to love. After her father left the family for another woman, Laura became a very angry child. And as an adult, she tended to have poor choices in men, always trying to make them love her but then the relationship would end.

After returning to her home town, and living with her sister, brother-in-law, and nephew, she tries her hand again at dating via an online site. Borrowing her sister’s car to meet her date, she promises she will return it no later than early the next morning. However, she never returns.

Feeling that something is very wrong, her sister Rosie, husband Joe and another childhood friend Gabe, begin searching for her as the hours and days go by and still they can’t find her. Secrets and betrayals come to light from so many years ago. With too many days that Laura has been missing, Rosie finally decides to contact the police, something she didn’t want to do because of that tragic night as teenagers in the woods. But can they find her? Secrets and betrayals come to light from so many years ago.

This is the first book I read by this author but she is now on my “authors to read list”.

The story will pull you in from the first page and won’t let go until the end. I did have a suspicion, or at least a guess, as to who the murderer was, but then, I also kept going back and forth between the characters thinking that maybe they could also be the killer. However, I didn’t even come close to the “why” until the explosive last chapters.

If you like psychological thrillers, then this book is for you! It will have you guessing until the last word. Highly recommend!

Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • Review | THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER by Kaira Rouda

    THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER by Kaira Rouda
    Genre: Psychological Thriller
    Published by Harlequin
    Publication Date: May 21, 2019
    ISBN-10: 1525835149
    ISBN-13: 978-1525835148
    Pages: 336
    Review Copy From: Harlequin via NetGalley
    Edition: eBook
    My Rating: 5

    Synopsis (via GR)

    From the author of the page-turning domestic suspense Best Day Ever, comes another gripping novel of psychological suspense set in an upscale Southern California community, for fans of B.A. Paris and Shari Lapena.

    The perfect home. The perfect family. The perfect lie.

    Jane Harris lives in a sparkling home in an oceanfront gated community in Orange County. It’s a place that seems too beautiful to be touched by sadness. But exactly one year ago, Jane’s oldest daughter, Mary, died in a tragic accident and Jane has been grief-stricken ever since. Lost in a haze of anti-depressants, she’s barely even left the house. Now that’s all about to change.

    It’s time for Jane to reclaim her life and her family. Jane’s husband, David, has planned a memorial service for Mary and three days later, their youngest daughter, Betsy, graduates high school. Yet as Jane reemerges into the world, it’s clear her family has changed without her. Her husband has been working long days—and nights—at the office. Her daughter seems distant, even secretive. And her beloved Mary was always such a good girl—dutiful and loving. But does someone know more about Mary, and about her last day, than they’ve revealed?

    The bonds between mothers and daughters, and husbands and wives should never be broken. But you never know how far someone will go to keep a family together…

    My Thoughts

    This will definitely be one of the books on 2019 Top Reads list.

    This is the first book that I have read by this author but will be reading more work by her.

    The narrative is written in the first person point of view of Jane Harris.

    Jane had it all. A loving husband, two daughters, a beautiful house until that tragic day 1 year ago when her oldest daughter fell to her death. Since that time, Jane has been suffering from “complicated” depression, which has pulled her emotionally from her family.

    But this week is big and she plans on making a comeback. The memorial for the celebration of her daughter and in days, her youngest daughter will be graduating High School. She has waited for this day and has BIG plans for the celebrations.

    A bone chilling read! I didn’t know if I should have compassion for Jane or be afraid of her. Were her husband and living daughter just not understanding and compassionate towards her or were they the true victims?

    Twists and turns galore! This book was riveting and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!

    If you like psychological thrillers, you HAVE to read this one!!!

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • Review | LITTLE LOVELY THINGS by Maureen Joyce Connolly

    LITTLE LOVELY THINGS byMaureen Joye Connolly
    Genre: Thriller/Mystery
    Published by Sourcebooks Landmark
    Publication Date: April 2, 2019
    ISBN: 1492672491 (ISBN13: 9781492672494)
    Pages: 289
    Review Copy From: Publisher via NetGalley
    Edition: eBook
    My Rating: 5e

    Synopsis (via GR)

    A mother’s chance decision leads to a twist of fate that is every parent’s worst nightmare.

    Claire Rawlings, mother of two and medical resident, will not let the troubling signs of an allergic reaction prevent her from making it in for rounds. But when Claire’s symptoms overpower her while she’s driving into work, her two children in tow, she must pull over. Moments later she wakes up on the floor of a gas station bathroom-her car, and her precious girls have vanished.

    The police have no leads and the weight of guilt presses down on Claire as each hour passes with no trace of her girls. All she has to hold on to are her strained marriage, a potentially unreliable witness who emerges days later, and the desperate but unquenchable belief that her daughters are out there somewhere.

    Little Lovely Things is the story of a family shattered by an unthinkable tragedy. Played out in multiple narrative voices, the novel explores how the lives of those affected fatefully intersect, and highlights the potential catastrophe of the small decisions we make every day.

    My Thoughts

    An incredible debut novel!!!

    I had seen many positive comments on this book and knew I had to see what all the buzz was about. Did it live up to those rave reviews?

    It’s 1991 and Dr. Claire Rawlings, on her way to work, with her 2 daughters in the back seat, is having a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine she received and has no choice but to stop due to her severe symptoms. After passing out in a gas station’s bathroom, she comes to but realizes that her car has been stolen with the 2 girls inside.

    With feelings of extreme guilt, Claire and her husband Glen, try getting through each day in the hopes that their children will be returned.

    The writing was fluid and so descriptive that I was pulled in from the first page. The type of book that had me so engrossed that I became one with the story. At times, the suspense was so taut that I found myself holding my breath. I could create vivid imagery of both the characters and scenes and feel the emotions of each member of the cast from the amazing descriptive narrative.

    Was all the buzz about this book correct? Absolutely and then some!!! Putting this author on my radar!

    A book that was hard to put down!!! Compelling and captivating that left me breathless! A story that will stay with me for a very long time!

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • Review | TELL NO ONE by Barbara Taylor Sissel

    TELL NO ONE by Barbara Taylor Sissel
    Genre: Domestic Thriller
    Published by Lake Union Publishing
    Publication Date: May 14, 2019
    ASIN: B07JFNS2CT
    Pages: 343
    Review Copy From: Author
    Edition: eBook
    My Rating: 5

    Synopsis (via GR)

    Their desperate secret. Her desperate search. A shattering truth exposed.

    Caroline Corbett wants nothing to do with her father, Hoff, a man who abandoned her as a young girl and then vanished from her life almost thirty years ago. But when her beloved aunt expresses a dying wish to see him once more, Caroline, despite her failing marriage and other personal troubles, drops everything to look for him.

    Harris Fenton found the father figure he’d dreamed of when he turned eight and his mother married Hoff—but his disappearance four years later left Harris with scars he carries even now that he is a father himself. While he has a beautiful family and a great job, he’s hiding a shameful secret and a nightmare from his childhood.

    Caroline’s search for Hoff soon uncovers a host of disturbing clues and draws a threat of violence. Her mind churns with memories of her troubled history, while Harris is losing the battle against his own demons. But for both of them, dredging up the past will be dangerous, and confronting the truth could prove life shattering.

    My Thoughts

    I am a HUGE fan of this author, having read the majority of her books so when she contacted me to see if I would like to read an eARC of her newest novel, the answer was an overwhelming YES!!!!!! And I will admit I also did a happy dance!!

    As the synopsis states, Caroline Corbett sets out on a mission to find her father that she hasn’t had a relationship with for close to 30 years. The reason being is because his sister, her aunt Lanie who helped raised her wants to see her brother one last time before she passes and time is running out.

    However, during her search, Caroline doesn’t realize that she has opened a Pandora’s Box on many fronts and there are some people who want to stop her from pursuing her search (sorry for being vague but don’t want to even let one smidgen of a spoiler to slip through).

    Lies, betrayals, love, tenacity, fraud, bribery, murder, trust, bribery, inner demons, family, and a promise that spiraled out of control. And this reader felt each and every emotion that the characters felt.

    Without giving anything else away, Ms. Sissel weaves and interweaves storylines that had me trying to guess how all the characters were connected. A writing style that is in all her books and I have yet to figure one out.

    Her writing is fluid and descriptive, which allowed me to create such vivid imagery in my mind. Characters that are flawed but relatable. The story had me trying to read faster because I wanted to see how it all came together, but then, on the other hand, I didn’t want the story to end because I was invested in all of the characters. The suspense was taut throughout.

    If you haven’t read one of her books, TRUST ME, you are missing out!

    And like I say with every book that I read by this amazing author, I now have to try, to patiently wait for her next novel, which is always the negative after finishing one of her books. And in the meantime, I will ponder how this phenomenally talented author writes one book after another that is truly captivating.

    Check out my reviews for her previous novels,

    THE NINTH STEP , THE VOLUNTEER, EVIDENCE OF LIFE, SAFE KEEPING, CROOKED LITTLE LIES, FAULTLINES,THE LAST INNOCENT HOUR, THE TRUTH WE BURY, and WHAT LIES BELOW,

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • STRONG AS STEEL by Jon Land (Review & Giveaway)

    STRONG AS STEEL by Jon Land Genre: Thriller Published by: Forge Books Publication Date: ISBN: 0765384671 ISBN13: 9780765384676 Pages: 336 Review Copy from: Author Edition: Signed ARC My Rating: 5
    **Stop by tomorrow for a Guest Post by Jon Land**

    Synopsis (via PICT)

    Tough-as-nails Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong returns in this electrifying ninth installment of the series, by USA Today bestselling author Jon Land 1994: Texas Ranger Jim Strong investigates a mass murder on a dusty freight train linked to a mysterious, missing cargo for which no record exists. The Present: His daughter, fifth generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong, finds herself on the trail of that same cargo when skeletal remains are found near an excavation site in the Texas desert. She’s also dealing with the aftermath of a massacre that claimed the lives of all the workers at a private intelligence company on her watch. These two cases are connected by a long buried secret, one that men have killed and died to protect. Caitlin and her outlaw lover Cort Wesley Masters must prove themselves to be as strong as steel to overcome a bloody tide that has been rising for centuries.

    My Thoughts

    Hold on to your hats, bad ass Caitlin Strong, Texas Ranger, is taking the reader on another wild ride!!! Twenty-five years ago, Caitin’s father, Jim Strong, was on a case that wasn’t resolved and now Caitlin finds herself dealing with the same case. Some people want what was buried 25 years ago, which has eluded them, but Caitlin has to figure out who these people are and what are in the buried ossuaries. And bodies are also piling up. This book is the 10th book in this series but reads as a stand alone. What I enjoy in this series is the profound and immense research that goes into the books interweaving historical facts into the story. It is not only a thrilling read but I always learn new facts. For me, this was a page turner, trying to keep up with the action and to see what really was in those ossuaries. The action is nonstop! I highly recommend that you pick up a copy and I guarantee you will be hooked! Check out my reviews for previous books in this series: Strong To The Bone, Strong Cold Dead Purchase Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

    Giveaway:

    This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Jon Land. There will be 1 winner of a $20. Amazon GC. The giveaway begins on April 22, 2019 and runs through May 24, 2019.
    a Rafflecopter giveaway ;  
    REVIEW DISCLAIMER
  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • Review | EMILY GONE by Bette Lee Crosby

    EMILY GONE by Bette Lee Crosby
    Genre: Southern Fiction, Domestic Thriller
    Published by Lake Union Publishing
    Publication Date: April 30, 2019
    ISBN: 1542044928 (ISBN13: 9781542044929)
    Pages: 394
    Review Copy From: Lake Union via NetGalley
    Edition: eBook
    My Rating: 5

    Synopsis (via GR)

    A missing child sets the lives of three women on a collision course in this powerful and compelling novel by USA Today bestselling author Bette Lee Crosby.

    1971.

    When a music festival rolls through the sleepy town of Hesterville, Georgia, the Dixon family’s lives are forever changed. On the final night, a storm muffles the sound of the blaring music, and Rachel tucks her baby into bed before falling into a deep sleep. So deep, she doesn’t hear the kitchen door opening. When she and her husband wake up in the morning, the crib is empty. Emily is gone.

    Vicki Robart is one of the thousands at the festival, but she’s not feeling the music. She’s feeling the emptiness over the loss of her own baby several months before. When she leaves the festival and is faced with an opportunity to fill that void, she is driven to an act of desperation that will forever bind the lives of three women.

    When the truth of what actually happened that fateful night is finally exposed, shattering the lives they’ve built, will they be able to pick up the pieces to put their families back together again?

    My Thoughts

    How can this be? Where have I been? Thinking under a rock since this is the first book that I read by this author. I am a member of multiple Facebook book groups and according to so many positive comments about her books, this is her 21st book, and many rave reviews for this book, which was the reason I chose to read it.

    As the synopsis states the final day of a music festival, Emily Dixon, 6 months old, was kidnapped, taken from her crib while her parents slept. Vicki Robart, attended the festival, but due to drugs and depression of losing her own child, a stillborn, months before, she believes Emily is her Lara.

    Emily’s parents, Rachel and George, never gave up hope that someday she would be returned to them but as each year passed that possibility seemed it was not to be. Every day, the “what ifs” were torturous to this couple.

    In the beginning, Rachel is so broken that getting up each day is a feat in itself. Her mother-in-law, Helen a bitter lady due to the loss of her own husband and her son getting married and leaving their home, suddenly has a change of heart, and becomes a loving and influential person in Rachel’s life.

    The characters were lifelike to the point that I felt that I was also a participant in their lives. The story and writing style flowed so smoothly that I felt I was transported to Hesterville, GA. I felt every emotion of the characters, the profound grief of losing a child, the anger, grief, despair, sadness, guilt, despondency Most of all, the love of a mother and the hope that Emily was being loved by the person who took her. And what surprised me was the emotions I felt towards the kidnapper (vague to not include spoiler).

    Do wishes come true? What about fate? Is there anything stronger than a mother’s love? And would one be able to forgive after such a horrific act?

    Do I recommend this book? I say that you HAVE and NEED to read this book!!! But have a box or 2 of tissues nearby!

    And I have a lot of Bette Lee Crosby reading to do!!!!!!

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • BELOW THE FOLD by R.G. Belsky (Review, Showcase, & Giveaway)

    Below The Fold by R.G. Belsky

    Below The Fold

    by R.G. Belsky

    on Tour May 1-31, 2019

    Synopsis:

    Below The Fold by R.G. Belsky

    Every human life is supposed to be important. Everyone should matter. But that’s not the case in the cutthroat TV news-rating world where Clare Carlson works. Sex, money, and power sell. Only murder victims of the right social strata are considered worth covering. Not the murder of a “nobody.”

    So, when the battered body of a homeless woman named Dora Gayle is found on the streets of New York City, her murder barely gets a mention in the media. But Clare―a TV news director who still has a reporter’s instincts―decides to dig deeper into the seemingly meaningless death. She uncovers mysterious links between Gayle and a number of wealthy and influential figures. There is a prominent female defense attorney; a scandal-ridden ex-congressman; a decorated NYPD detective; and―most shocking of all―a wealthy media mogul who owns the TV station where Clare works. Soon there are more murders, more victims, more questions. As the bodies pile up, Clare realizes that her job, her career, and maybe even her life are at stake as she chases after her biggest story ever.

    MY THOUGHTS/REVIEW

    5 stars

    I am always a bit skeptical when I start reading the second book in a series, when the first book, in this case, YESTERDAY’S NEWS, blew me away. Did BELOW THE FOLD stand up to the comparison?

    Clare Carlson, news executive at Channel 10 news and former Pulitzer Prize winner for a missing child that she covered when she was a journalist, decides that the murder of a homeless woman, Dora Gayle, would be an item on the evening news, even though it fell below the fold. What she didn’t see coming, was that this story would become a major news story involving a former Congressman, a defense attorney, a stockbroker, an NYPD homicide detective, and a multimedia mogul, who is also her boss.

    The Dora Gayle case fell “below the fold” which does not make it important enough to make the top news story, but Clare had a gut feeling about it. She was right because bodies are starting to pile up since the broadcast. A list of names was left at the scene of the second murder. but what is the connection between these 4 people to the homeless woman? Clare lives and breathes news’ stories, always on the hunt for the BIG story, which this one is becoming, and she doesn’t let up, even when it has come to an end. Or has it?

    Clare Carlson takes the reader through a maze of leads and tips, with some being significant parts of the puzzle and others a dead end. Or is it really a dead end?

    An exciting narrative with lifelike characters that was hard to put down! A heart pounding read with so many moving parts! A frantic story that will have you turning the pages as fast as you can!

    Did this book let me down? Absolutely NOT!! And since there were hints about the previous case that was in YESTERDAY’S NEWS, I can’t wait to see what and where Clare Carlson will take us on her next big story!!!!

    KUDOS Mr. Belsky!!! I’m hooked!!!

    Book Details:

    Genre: Mystery
    Published by: Oceanview Publishing
    Publication Date: May 2019
    Number of Pages: 357
    ISBN: 978-1-60809-324-3
    Series: Clare Carlson #2
    Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

    Read an excerpt:

    OPENING CREDITS
    THE RULES ACCORDING TO CLARE

    Every human life is supposed to be important, everyone should matter. That’s what we all tell ourselves, and it’s a helluva noble concept. But it’s not true. Not in the real world. And certainly not in the world of TV news where I work.

    Especially when it comes to murder.

    Murder is a numbers game for me. It operates on what is sometimes cynically known in the media as the Blonde White Female Syndrome. My goal is to find a murder with a sexy young woman victim to put on the air. Sex sells. Sex, money, and power. That translates into big ratings numbers, which translates into more advertising dollars. These are the only murder stories really worth doing.

    The amazing thing to me is not that there is so much news coverage of these types of stories. It’s that there are people who actually question whether they should be big news stories. These critics dredge up the age-old argument about why some murders get so much more play in the media than all the other murders that happen every day.

    I don’t understand these people.

    Because the cold, hard truth—and everyone knows this, whether they want to admit it or not—is that not everybody is equal when it comes to murder.

    Not in life.

    And certainly not in death.

    It reminds me of the ongoing debate that happens every time Sirhan Sirhan—the man who killed Robert F. Kennedy—comes up for a parole hearing. There are those who point out that he’s already served fifty years in jail. They argue that many other killers have served far less time before being paroled. Sirhan Sirhan should be treated equally, they say, because the life of Robert F. Kennedy is no more or less important than the life of any other crime victim. Me, I think Sirhan Sirhan should be kept caged up
    in a four-foot by six-foot cell as long as he lives—which hopefully will be to a hundred so he can suffer every minute of it. For God’s sakes, people, he killed Robert—freakin’—Kennedy!

    And so, to those who think that we in the media make too big a deal out of some of these high-profile murder stories, I say that’s completely and utterly ridiculous. I reject that argument completely. I won’t even discuss it.

    * *

    Now let me tell you something else.

    Everything I just said there is a lie.

    The truth is there really is no magic formula for murder in the TV news business. No simple way to know from the beginning if a murder story is worth covering or not. No easy answer to the question of how much a human life is worth—or what the impact will be of that person’s death by a violent murder.

    When I started out working at a newspaper years ago, I sat next to a veteran police reporter on the overnight shift. There was an old-fashioned wire machine that would print out police slips of murders that happened during the night. Most of them involved down-market victims in bad neighborhoods whose deaths clearly would never make the paper.

    But he would dutifully call the police on each one and ask questions like: “Tell me about the body of that kid you found in the Harlem pool room—was he a MENSA candidate or what?” Or, “The woman you found dead in the alley behind the housing project—any chance she might be Julia Roberts or a member of the British Royal Family?”

    I asked him once why he even bothered to make the calls since none of these murders seemed ever worth writing about in the paper.

    “Hey, you never know,” he said.

    It was good advice back then, and it still is today. I try to teach it to all my reporters in the TV newsroom that I run now. Check every murder out. Never assume anything about a murder story. Follow the facts and the evidence on every murder—on every crime story—because you can never be certain where that trail might take you.

    Okay, I don’t always follow my own advice in the fast-paced, ratings-obsessed world of TV news where I make my living.

    And usually it does turn out to be just a waste of time.

    But every once in a while, well . . .

    Hey, you never know.

    ***

    Excerpt from Below The Fold by R.G. Belsky. Copyright © 2019 by R.G. Belsky. Reproduced with permission from R.G. Belsky. All rights reserved.

     

     

    Author Bio:

    R.G. Belsky

    R.G. Belsky is an author of crime fiction and a journalist in New York City. His newest mystery , YESTERDAY’S NEWS, was published in May 2018 by Oceanview. It is the first in a series featuring Clare Carlson, the news director for a New York City TV station. A second Clare Carlson book, BELOW THE FOLD, will be out in May 2019. Belsky’s last book, BLONDE ICE, was published by Atria in October 2016. It is the third in a series of books from Atria about Gil Malloy, a hard-driving newspaper reporter with a penchant for breaking big stories on the front page of the New York Daily News. The first book in the Gil Malloy series – THE KENNEDY CONNECTION – was published in 2014 and SHOOTING FOR THE STARS came out in 2015. Belsky himself is a former managing editor at the Daily News and writes about the media from an extensive background in newspapers, magazines and TV/digital news. At the Daily News, he also held the titles of metropolitan editor and deputy national editor. Before that, he was metropolitan editor of the New York Post and news editor at Star magazine. Belsky was most recently the managing editor for news at NBCNews.com. His previous suspense novels include PLAYING DEAD and LOVERBOY. BLONDE ICE was nominated as a finalist for the David Award at Deadly Ink and also for the Silver Falchion at Killer Nashville in 2017. He was the Claymore Award winner at Killer Nashville 2016 and also a Silver Falchion Finalist in both the mystery and thriller categories.

    Catch Up With Our R.G. Belsky On:
    rgbelsky.com, Goodreads, BookBub, Twitter, & Facebook!

     

     

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    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • Review | THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU by Liv Constantine

    THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU by Liv Constantine
    Genre: Psychological Thriller
    Published by Harper Collins
    Publication Date: May 7, 2019
    ISBN-10: 0062868810
    ISBN-13: 978-0062868817
    Pages: 320
    Review Copy From: Harper Collins
    Edition: ARC TPB
    My Rating: 5

    Synopsis (via GR)

    The internationally bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish follows that success with an addictive novel filled with shocking twists about the aftermath of a brutal high-society murder.

    Dr. Kate English has it all. Not only is she the heiress to a large fortune; she has a gorgeous husband and daughter, a high-flying career, and a beautiful home anyone would envy.

    But all that changes the night Kate’s mother, Lily, is found dead, brutally murdered in her own home. Heartbroken and distraught, Kate reaches out to her estranged best friend, Blaire Barrington, who rushes to her side for the funeral, where the years of distance between them are forgotten in a moment.

    That evening, Kate’s grief turns to horror when she receives an anonymous text: You think you’re sad now, just wait. By the time I’m finished with you, you’ll wish you had been buried today. More than ever, Kate needs her old friend’s help.

    Once Blaire decides to take the investigation into her own hands, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems in Baltimore high society. As infidelity, lies, and betrayals come to light, and tensions rise to a boiling point, she begins to alienate Kate’s friends and relatives with her relentless, accusatory questions, as she tries to find Lily’s killer. The murderer could be anyone—friend, neighbor, loved one. But whoever it is, it’s clear that Kate is next on their list. . .

    In The Last Time I Saw You, Liv Constantine takes the lightning pace of The Last Mrs. Parrish and raises the stakes, creating an exquisitely tension-filled and absorbing tale of psychological suspense in which innocent lives—and one woman’s sanity—hang in the balance.

    My Thoughts

    After reading The Last Mrs. Parrish!, I knew I had to get my hands on this extraordinary writing duo’s next book, and it didn’t disappoint!

    Kate mother, Lily, is brutally murdered days before Christmas. A distraught Kate reconnects with her best friend, Blaire Barrington, a famous mystery author and who Kate hasn’t seen since her wedding day since Blaire felt that the impending groom is not good for Kate and n argument ensues. Blaire, having spent much time with Kate and her family, returns for the services and the friendship rekindles.

    As the synopsis states, on the day of the funeral, Kate receives the first threatening text, one of many, which now threaten Kate’s life. Blaire stays by Kate’s side and decides she is going to try and solve who killed Lily and is now threatening Kate. Is she successful?

    This book was a page turner!! The list of suspects are all close to Kate but who is trying to make her appear “crazy” and who killed Lily?

    The suspense started on page 1 and didn’t let up to the final page! So many twists and turns that had me reading as fast as possible to learn who dun it! It concludes with an explosive ending that I didn’t see coming!

    Warning!! This is a novel that will leave you with a book hangover!!!

    Chilling and thrilling throughout!!

    I can’t wait for their next book! I hope it is soon!

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.